Les monnaies du Poitou antique : circulation monétaire et histoire

Coinage in the ancient poitou : monetary circulation and history

• Auteur / Autrice : Jean Hiernard
• Direction : Robert Étienne
• Type : Thèse de doctorat
• Discipline(s) : Histoire
• Date : Soutenance en 1987
• Etablissement(s) : Bordeaux 3

Mots clés

Mots clés contrôlés

Numismatique antique

Antiquité

Circulation monétaire

Poitou (France)

Monnaies antiques

Résumé

A partir d'un repertoire topographique aussi complet que possible des monnaies antiques trouvees sur le territoire de la civitas pictonum (ou du premier diocese de poitiers), est proposee une analysse historique des phenomenes monetaires concernant cette vaste region qui correspond a plus de trois departements francais actuels, tant a l'epoque de l'independance celtique que pendant la domination romaine jusqu'au debut du cinquieme siecle. Les grands rythmes de l'approvisionnement ayant ete definis, la circulation monetaire permet de saisir statistiquement les grandes coupures politiques et economiques ayant affecte la region - conquete romaine, crise et inflations du troisieme et du quatrieme siecle - les phases d'optimum de l'epoque celtique et du haut-empire, de delimiter carto- graphiquement des zones variees d'activite commerciale ou de thesauri- sation et de proposer un premier essai d'histoire sociale de la ''nation'' puis de la civitas pictonne cernant, en particulier, l'evolution des rap- ports ville-vici-campagnes pendant toute l'antiquite et utilisant la mon- naie comme l'un des revelateurs des processus successifs de celtisation puis de romanisation. Une place privilegiee a ete consacree au chef-lieu de la civitas, lemonum, dont la topographie historique a pu etre notablement enrichie grace a la mise en serie des trouvailles monetaires. L'accent a enfin ete fortement mis sur les risques touchant a l'utilisation chronologique de la monnaie lors des fouilles, compte tenu de la frequente longevite de ce type de ma- teriau, et sur la necessite de la collaboration des numismates et des ar- cheologues afin d'eviter sur-interpretations et erreurs.

A topographical repertory of the ancient coins found out in the area of the civitas pictonum (or first poitiers diocese) has been drawn up, as completely as possible. On the basis of it, an historical analysis of monetary facts regarding this wide area, which included more than three french departments of the present day, is proposed here, as well in the celtic independance period as under the roman domination till the beginning of 5th century. Main supplying rythms having been defined firstly, the circulation of money enables to understand, according to statistics, the great political and economical gaps having been holding sway through the country - roman conquest, crisis and inflations of third and fourth centuries - optimal phases of celtic and roman high empire periods. It also enables to demar- cate various trading or hoarding areas, drawing them on maps, and to pro- pose a first social history essay of the pictonian ''nation'' then civitas discerning in particular the evolution of the relationship between town- vici-country all the ancient civilization long and making use of coinage as one of the best revealing facts of the successive processes of celti- zation, then romanization. A privileged place has been given to the chief town of civitas, lemonum, the historical topography of which having been notably enriched by setting found coins in series. A great emphasis has been placed lastly on the risks concerning the chronological use of coins discovered when digging the land, considering the frequent longevity of this kind of artefact and on the necessity of a tigh collaboration between numismatists and ar- chaeologists in order to avoid any overinterpretations and mistakes.